Does everyone wash their perlite when mixing with soil? I get getting most of the dust separated, but do we need to make sure the perlite is super clean? Or just a quick rinse?
I haven’t ever washed mine. Plants have always been happy. Maybe I’m messing up big time though. I’m just a guy in a shed.
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I go thru 4cu’ of perlite every 2-3 months for 8+yrs. I’ve never washed it.
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I’ll take the advice!!! I dunno why I’ve always washed, but I hate it lol.
Thanks doods!
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Usually a wash Is done in order to remove the fine silica dust, that Is harmful to workers in Production enviroment (usually in the mixing with Coco or other inert) before potting
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Never washed perlite in my life. I did wash the lava rock back in the days when I used it.
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I rinse my perlite. I hate the dust.
I poke holes in the bottom of the bag, then put it in a tote over a block of coco. I rinse the perlite and hydrate the coco with the rinse water.
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This is most likely why I did it, that dust is nasty, but I don’t deal with it too much, and when I do it’s small amounts. Maybe I’ll just wet it down really quick, I’d rather do that than deal with the dust.
Edit: but I’m definitely not wasting anymore time doing a thorough wash. I feel stupid now haha.
Use a garden spray head, or out the hose in the bag (with drain hole in the bottom) as suggested by @blackie…
When we fill out pot in Greenhouse the perlite dust (10.000 liters, for 5000 pots) Is a real problem, its harmful and make you feel not good almost istantly…
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Yeah, I definitely want to avoid that dust. Just was going a little overboard with washing it. I’ll still wet it down for sure tho.
(can’t really take giant bags of perlite out to rinse in plain sight)
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If you keep your large bag upright, and scoop out as needed, most all the dust will settle on bottom of the bag. I’ve tried 10 brands of perlite, only 1 has minimal dust. It’s an all white bag (not see thru or opaque) and black writing. I cant remember the brand name. Htg sells it. Best, lowest dust perlite I’ve found.
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Lava rock is an absolute bitch to clean
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Could rinse with 12% food Grade H2O2 then r/o water and then let it dry out in a bin with paper towels if you’re trying to sterilize the perlite…
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Never, but only used it for mushrooms. Probably makes since though.
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Just gotta say, thanks for all the replies. You all always offer up good advice super fast.
Also, light wash to remove dust while I mix. No more wasting water and time.
That dust is bad for bugs too. I like to use the fine stuff from the bottom of the bag for top dressing like you would use DE.
If not using the whole bag at once, I usually just dry scoop it slowly, usually wearing a mask, then wet it before mixing into other media. Otherwise I add water to the bag before pouring. Not much, just enough to knock down the dust. I usually don’t put a drain hole in the bottom, unless it’s a bigger bag.
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I’ve never washed perlite but that’s a good idea for the dust. Even w a mask it’s annoying af
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I remembered why I washed, I used to do hempy buckets.
I wash mine when I do hempy also just so the dust doesn’t fill the reservoir on the bottom.